Wales

Measles outbreak spreads

The measles outbreak concentrated around the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot has spread to part of west Wales. Hywel Dda Health Board has urged parents in the area to ensure their children are vaccinated.

Dr Meirion Evans, a public health expert at Cardiff University, says there is a backlog of older children who have not had the MMR vaccine, and has urged people to make sure their children are immunised.

He told our Correspondent Richard Morgan that tens of thousands of children are potentially at risk if the outbreak spreads beyond the Swansea area.

Dr Richard Roberts, head of Public Health Wales's vaccine preventable disease programme, said the measles outbreak is accelerating and although the "vast majority" of parents have their children vaccinated there is a small minority who have not had the MMR vaccine.

"It is the largest outbreak of measles that we have had for more than 10 years in Wales", he said.